Brussels, 24 October 2021/OACPS: On the occasion of United Nations Day, celebrated each year on October 24, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), H.E. Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, recalls that, in the post-war context, peace is the main objective of the United Nations Charter.

Remarking on the importance of peace as a precursor to prosperity, the Secretary-General, however, notes with regret, the current situation in several Members of the OACPS in which the rule-of-law, security and peaceful co-existence are under threat; challenges which have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic which has negatively affected the socio-economic and hence, the political situation in many Member States.

The Secretary-General advocates for more peaceful and democratic governance, as we recognise the theme for this year’s UN Day of, “Building back together for peace and prosperity,” which reflects the urgency of placing peace and security at the centre of global recovery efforts in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In over seven decades, the United Nations has strived to unify the international community around universal values, such as good governance, protection of human rights, democratic principles, and respect for the rule of law, as well as championing human and social progress in the world.

Secretary-General Chikoti deplores the fact that peace and prosperity are increasingly threatened by multiple challenges, such as climate change, the rise of terrorism and intolerance, inequalities, the trivialisation of hate speech and organised crime. To meet these global challenges, there is a need for collective responses and strengthened international solidarity, within the framework of a dynamic multilateral system, of which the United Nations is the main engine. In this context, the OACPS is pleased to partner with a multitude of UN institutions in diverse areas, including environmental conservation, gender and health.

The Secretary-General reaffirms that the OACPS, through its development partnership with the UN and its agencies, will continue to support its Member States in their efforts to build back better, guided by the recognition of the importance of unity and solidarity, as agreed by all participants during the First OACPS Inter-Sessional Summit of Heads of State and Government in June 2020, and by the principle of “leaving no one behind.”